Aggregate log and method of building construction

ABSTRACT

An aggregrate log used with other such logs to form a wall of a house, or building, or a retaining wall, having a plurality of first openings oriented vertically when in situ in the wall, a plurality of second openings aligned along a horizontal axis and forming a conduit channel open from one end of the log to another and alignment means for aligning the log with an underlying log when in situ in said wall.

FIELD

An aggregrate log used in making a mortarless aggregate block wallsystem of a type in which the blocks are layered one on top of theother.

BACKGROUND

Building construction, which employs layering of logs or blocks has beenpopular for many years. Log houses are difficult and time consuming tobuild because they require long straight logs that must be processed tosmooth their surface and trim grooves in order that one log can beplaced on another. A problem with such buildings is the difficulty inwiring them without exposing the wire or wire conduit on the interiorsurface. A similar problem exists for concrete blocks, although verticalpipes and lines can be passed through their hollow interior. A secondproblem with both log buildings and concrete block buildings has beenthe time required for construction. For concrete blocks the builder musthave a constant supply of mixed mortar and repeatedly check for plumband level across each row. Moreover, a number of bricklayers must beused to achieve an acceptable rate of construction.

For wooden log construction, a selection and purchase process must firstbe completed in order to obtain satisfactory raw material. Theconstruction must first take place on a site near the plant of thebuilder. Each log must be grooved, trimmed and lifted into place by acrane. Insulation is placed in the grooves and the log placed atop aprevious log in a layer by layer building process. Once the structurehas been completed, the building is disassembled and all of the logstransported to the building site. The speed at which a log house can beconstructed is generally slower than that of conventional constructionand the construction costs are somewhat higher.

Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an aggregatelog, which can be assembled without mortar inexpensively and quickly. Itis a further object to provide a log that can accommodate wiring,plumbing, central vacuum and heating lines in the interior of a wallmade with several of the logs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided an aggregrate log used withother such logs to form a wall of a house, or building, or a retainingwall, having a plurality of first openings oriented vertically when insitu in the wall, a plurality of second openings aligned along ahorizontal axis and forming a conduit channel open from one end of thelog to another and alignment means for aligning the log with anunderlying log when in situ in the wall.

Preferably, the log has an elongated channel extending from one end ofthe log to the other end and positioned to be aligned with acorresponding elongated channel on another of the logs when in situ inthe wall to form a heating channel, an interior surface of the heatingchannel mating with an outer surface of a pipe when positioned in theheating channel.

The exterior facing surface of the log may have a decorative facade.

The alignment means may be a raised elongated bead on one surface and acorresponding elongated recess on an opposite surface dimensioned tomate with the elongated bead.

The aggregate log may be made of concrete.

In another aspect of the invention there is provided a walled structurehaving walls made of a plurality of stacked aggregrate logs, each loghaving a plurality of first openings oriented vertically in said wall, aplurality of second openings aligned along a horizontal axis and forminga conduit channel open from one end of said log to another and alignmentmeans for aligning the log with an underlying log in the wall.

Electrical conduit may be passed through said first openings and saidsecond openings and electrical wire passed through said conduit.

Each of the logs has an elongated channel extending from one end of saidlog to the another end and positioned to be aligned with a correspondingelongated channel on another of the logs when in situ in the wall toform a heating channel, an interior surface of the heating channelmating with an outer surface of a pipe when positioned in the heatingchannel.

Water pipe may be fitted in the heating channels of the logs and a looseinsulating material may be inserted into the first and second openings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages will be apparent from the followingdetailed description, given by way of example, of a preferred embodimenttaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top view of the concrete log;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the concrete log;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a wall built with the concrete logs;

FIG. 4 is a top view of an alternative concrete log having insulation;

FIG. 5 is an end view of the concrete log of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6-10 are various designs of fasads molded into the front face ofeach log.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1-2 illustrates a concrete log 10 having three first openings 12aligned with openings of underlying logs to provide vertical passagewaysthrough the wall. Second openings 14 pass horizontally throughconnecting portions 13. Second openings 14 are shown to be round but canhave any cross-sectional shape desired, such as rectangular as shown inFIG. 4. The top surface of the log has an elongated alignment rail 16near one side and an elongated channel 18 near an opposite side. Thebottom surface has three spaced apart channels 20, 22 and 23. Channel 20is aligned vertically with rail 16 and is of a diameter such that itfits snugly over a rail 16 of an underlying concrete log 10. Channel 23is aligned vertically with channel 18 and has the same diameter as thelatter. Typical dimensions for the log are 3 feet in length by 8.5inches in width by 12 inches in height, but can be made as long asdesired or with other heights and widths.

Referring to FIG. 3 an assembled wall 24 having concrete logs 10 stackedone upon another has electrical outlet holes 28 and 34 chiseled throughto first openings 12. An electrical receptacle box is fitted into eachhole (not shown) as well as plastic conduit (not shown) and then theelectrical wire inserted into hole 28 and passed through the conduit toits destination. It may be necessary to open one or more additionalholes to achieve the required routing of the conduit. Once wire ispassed through the conduit, they are attached to switch 26 and to plug32 in the usual way.

If wall heating is used, PVC pipes 36 are passed through the openingleft by channels 18 and 23. The pipes are joined to inlet and an outletpipe of larger diameter leading to a pump and an underground heatexchanger (not shown). The depth underground of the heat exchanger willdepend on the desired temperature of the water. All of the outside wallscarry the pipes 36 with the result that the concrete logs are kept at aconstant temperature. Once the outside walls are wired any holes openedin order to pass the wire are patched with concrete grout. Additionalservices such as central vacuum pipes can be passed through the first 12and second openings 14.

The corners of the outside walls are left open so that the pipe 36 inone wall can be joined to that in the adjacent wall. Similarly, conduitto house electrical wire is passed from a second opening 14 in one wallto that in the adjacent wall. Once all of the wiring is complete and thepipes 36 are connected at the corners, a corner piece is inserted andcemented in place.

Referring to FIGS. 4-5 an alternative concrete log 10 a is shown made intwo separate halves, namely inner half 11 and outer half 13. Nuts 44 arecast into upper and lower regions of half 11 as seen in FIG. 5 above andbelow second openings 14 in the sections which connect the two halves 11and 13. Similarly, boltholes are molded into the outer half 13 so thatbolts 46 can pass through and engage nuts 44. Bolt heads 48 are recessedinto the log. Insulation boards 40 are positioned between the two halves11 and 13 and the bolts 46 inserted and tightened into nuts 44. Once thelog is in place the boltholes can be pargeted. This system provides athermal break, which enhances considerably the insulating capacity ofthe concrete logs 10 a. For example, the area of the connecting portions27 and 29 of connecting region 25 is less than 10% of the area of innerhalf 11 that faces the outer half 13. When these small contact areas areinsulated the heat transfer through each log is very small.

It will be appreciated that there are other designs, which could beemployed such as hexagonal logs. Various facades can be molded into afront face of each log to give a number of different appearances such ashalf rounds, tiled, paneled, broken slate, shingles or shakes. Some ofthese are shown in FIGS. 6-10.

Accordingly, while this invention has been described with reference toillustrative embodiments, this description is not intended to beconstrued in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the illustrativeembodiments, as well as other embodiments of the invention, will beapparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to thisdescription. It is therefore contemplated that the appended claims willcover any such modifications or embodiments as fall within the truescope of the invention.

1. An aggregrate log used with other such logs to form a wall of ahouse, or building, or a retaining wall, comprising: a body having aplurality of first openings oriented vertically when in situ in saidwall, a plurality of second openings aligned along a horizontal axis andforming a conduit channel open from one end of said log to another end,and alignment means for aligning said log with an underlying log when insitu in said wall.
 2. The log of claim 1, including an elongated channelextending from one end of said body to said another end and positionedto be aligned with a corresponding elongated channel on another of saidlogs when in situ in said wall to form a heating channel, an interiorsurface of the heating channel mating with an outer surface of a pipewhen positioned in said heating channel.
 3. The log of claim 1, whereina cross-section of said body is rectangular.
 4. The log of claim 1,wherein an exterior facing surface of said body has a decorative facade.5. The log of claim 1, wherein said alignment means is a raisedelongated bead on one surface of said body and a corresponding elongatedrecess on an opposite surface of said body, said elongated recessdimensioned to mate with an elongated bead of another said log.
 6. Thelog of claim 1, wherein said aggregate log is made of concrete.
 7. Thelog of claim 1, wherein said body is made of an inner section and anouter section with connecting portions of said inner and outer sectionsforming connecting regions and forming said first and second openingsand said body having fastener receptacles formed in each of said innerand outer sections.
 8. The log of claim 7, including insulating padsbetween each of said connecting portions.
 9. The log of claim 8,including nuts molded into connecting portions of one of said outersections and boltholes molded into corresponding connecting portions ofsaid inner sections with bolts insertable into said boltholes andthreadedly engaging said nuts.
 10. A walled structure having walls madeof a plurality of stacked aggregrate logs, each said log, comprising:(a) a plurality of first openings oriented vertically in said wall; (b)a plurality of second openings aligned along a horizontal axis andforming a conduit channel open from one end of said log to another; and(c) alignment means for aligning said log with an underlying log in saidwall.
 11. The walled structure of claim 10, wherein electrical conduitis passed through said first openings and said second openings andelectrical wire passed through said conduit.
 12. The walled structure ofclaim 10, wherein each of said logs has an elongated channel extendingfrom one end of said log to the another end and positioned to be alignedwith a corresponding elongated channel on another of said logs when insitu in said wall to form a heating channel, an interior surface of theheating channel mating with an outer surface of a pipe when positionedin said heating channel.
 13. The walled structure of claim 11, includingwater pipe fitted in the heating channels of said logs.
 14. The walledstructure of claim 10, including a loose insulating material in saidfirst and second openings.